


The Marauders

by Brdazi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Hogwarts, Hogwarts First Year, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-08-09 23:10:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7820869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brdazi/pseuds/Brdazi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Marauders at Hogwarts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Remus' Letter

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically my version of the Marauders, and I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to do it, but I will be going through their experiences throughout Hogwarts.

Remus Lupin

 

The summer of 1971 was a difficult one for Remus Lupin. Ever since before he could remember he asked stories about his father’s school, and dreamed of the day he’d be able to go himself. And ever since before he could remember, he knew that he could not.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was just a dream for Remus, but that never stopped him from asking about it, wanting to know everything he could.

“You could teach me, right dad?” Remus would ask. “You can teach me magic and I can learn just like all the other kids, right?”

Lyall Lupin would smile sadly at his son and respond, “Of course. I’ll show you everything I can.”

And every year, sometimes shorter than that, the Lupin family would pack up everything they own and move somewhere else. “We can’t have people finding out about you,” Hope Lupin would say. “Just think of it as another adventure.” And Remus would dutifully pack what little belongings he had and go with his parents to a new house, in a new town, surrounded by new people who would never really know them.

Every month Remus would walk solemnly to his bedroom, feeling worse and worse with every step. It was his death march, one he endured over and over again. When he was much younger, he would just get confused. He didn’t understand why his parents had locked him in his room, why he would feel so much pain, why he would lose himself for a night and wake up with scratches and bites all over him, feeling sick and sore.

“I don’t want to be a werewolf anymore!” Remus had yelled at his father once, around the age of seven. “Take it back, make it stop!”

“I’m sorry,” Lyall would say, “I’m sorry.”

But it was when Remus was eleven years old that he felt hopeless. He had never been able to make any friends, partially because of his constant moving with his family, and partially because he knew that nobody could ever find out about his lycanthropy. Discrimination was the least of his worries when he knew that people might hurt him out of their own fear. And Remus Lupin knew he would never be able to go to school. He would not grow up with children his own age, he would not learn with his peers and be able to study magic to its fullest intent, he would just have to take in information where he could find it.

Their current house was secluded by the neighboring houses by trees and a small forest beyond the backyard. Remus liked to sit in amongst the trees and read some of the books his father had kept from his own schooling days. Remus would pretend he could understand the more complex magic while he absentmindedly drew patterns in the dirt. The seclusion felt less obtrusive when he did it to himself, and while his father wanted to be with him, his mother had convinced him to give Remus his space. At this particular house, his space was a small clearing beyond a few trees. He had climbed the trees before, but stopped when his mother found him and yelled at him that he could have gotten hurt. In a moment of vindictiveness, Remus had responded, “I’m always getting hurt. Every month.” To which his mother had no response, and Remus immediately felt regret.

“Remus,” Hope called from the house. “Remus, there’s somebody here who wants to— who wants to meet you.”

Having never had visitors, Remus carefully closed his book and ran to the house, feeling a mix of cautious and excited. He walked through the kitchen, where his mother encouraged him to go in the sitting room, where the strangest man Lupin had ever seen was sitting on an armchair. He stood out clearly from the rest of the house, wearing purple robes and half-moon spectacles. His white hair fell loose mingling with his long white beard, which was tucked into a belt. He was sitting opposite Remus’ father, and when he noticed Remus enter the room, he smiled up at him.

“Remus Lupin, I am professor Dumbledore from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” the man stood up and shook Remus’ hand before sitting him down next to his father. “Your father was just telling me how excited you are to be attending school this year.”

“But I can’t go,” Remus interrupted.

“When we sent your letter, we were very surprised to hear that you wouldn’t be able to come because of a chronic illness,” Dumbledore said. “So I wanted to personally meet with your family to see if there was anything I could do to help.” There was a slight glint in Dumbledore’s eyes that made Remus feel like his whole history was being read by this man, just by making eye contact with him. Remus felt exposed and scared, Dumbledore couldn’t possibly know the truth about him, otherwise he would never be trying to help Remus get to school, a place where he knew he would only be hurting people. But he was slightly distracted by something that Dumbledore had said.

“I got a letter?” Remus asked and turned to his father. “I was accepted and you never told me.”

“We were afraid it would just upset you,” Hope said from right behind him.

“I got a letter?” Remus repeated and looked up, hopefully at his father.

Lyall looked uncertainly between his son and Dumbledore before he pulled an envelope out of one of his pockets. It was addressed to Lupin, but was already opened, the wax seal torn and the Hogwarts crest on it smudged and distorted. Lyall handed the envelope to Lupin and Dumbledore seemed to become very interested in one of Hope’s food recipe magazines.

“Why couldn’t I at least see it?” Remus whispered, afraid that the parchment in his hands would disappear if he startled it. “Why couldn’t I just know that I had gotten a letter?”

“I’m sorry,” Lyall said. “I didn’t think— I was afraid you’d be more upset knowing you couldn’t go.”

“Do you mind if I take this?” Dumbledore said, pointing at a picture of lemon meringue cake with a recipe underneath it.

“Oh,” Hope said, “yes, of course.”

“Thank you,” Dumbledore said as he carefully ripped the picture and recipe out. “I have already started preparations for your attendance, Mr. Lupin. I hope you trust us to put both your safety and that of other students as one of our upmost concerns. I don’t see any reason to keep you out of school as long as we work together to contain you every full moon, as long as you are agreeable to that. I have already informed Madam Pomfrey, our matron, and will inform the head of whichever house you—”

“How?” Lyall asked. “We were so good, so careful.”

“Indeed you were,” Dumbledore smiled. “I almost didn’t realize, but I’m very glad I did. As far as I’m concerned, there is no reason Remus’ lycanthropy should prevent him from attending school, as long as he is willing to take the necessary precautions. Are you, Remus?”

Remus looked down at the parchment he didn’t realize he was holding so tightly that it was crumpling and his knuckles were turning white. He looked at some the writing, “We are pleased to inform you” and then dropped it onto his lap before his sweaty hands could ruin it anymore. “I can go?” Remus asked.

“Of course,” Dumbledore smiled, “we have added a very lovely Whomping Willow to our grounds, which will cover the entrance to a passageway to a building just outside Hogsmeade, which, as we speak, is being enchanted to be able to confine something such as a young werewolf. Unfortunately, there is not much more than keep you from the other students and provide as much comfort for you as well during your transformations, but yes, you can come to school.”

“Can I?” Remus looked back and forth between his parents. His mother looked to his father, and his father looked to Dumbledore.

“It is,” Dumbledore said, “entirely your decision, Remus.”


	2. Peter Makes some Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Peter is the one I'm struggling with the most, and how he sees the other Marauders. Also I struggled a lot with both Sirius and Jame's characterization from basically Peter's point of view... sorry.

Peter Pettigrew

 

Peter was okay with being a squib. He had believed that he was up until he got his letter from Hogwarts. The excitement that he felt was quickly squashed by the thoughts of all the other students, whom he knew he would never be able to be as good as. He had attended muggle school, and had gotten poor grades there, and he knew he would do no better when it came to magic. But his parents had encouraged him to always try his best, and he always did.

It was mainly the older kids who had always picked on him for being small for his age, and being skinny as well didn’t help. He was no good at muggle sports, and the toy brooms he had gotten, he had always fallen off of. And for some reason Peter couldn’t understand, the other kids didn’t like that. So he found ways around it. Being nice never seemed to work, so instead he made the bigger kids think they had beat him down before they even started. Peter stopped avoiding them, because that only encouraged them to find him. Instead, he followed them around, made them feel important, made them pity him. Every day Peter swallowed his pride so that he wouldn’t be hurt anymore. And yet every day he felt worse.

On the Hogwarts Express, though, Peter felt sick. There were so many people, and a lot of them seemed to know each other already. So Peter had pushed himself as far into a compartment as he could and partially hoped somebody would talk to him, while also hoping nobody would see him.

“You’re in our compartment,” a tall boy walked into the compartment Peter had settled in. “Get out.”

“Sorry,” Peter mumbled as he reached for his trunk. He struggled with the weight of it and tried to ignore when the boy and whoever else was behind him started to laugh. Just as he was exiting the compartment, the corner of his trunk got caught, and Peter tugged on it, one of the latches broke and Peter’s belongings were spewed throughout the corridor. The older kids laughed and walked into the compartment, leaving Peter to clean up his things.

“You should’ve just stayed in there,” another first year said from a few feet away. “What were they going to do, kick you out themselves?”

Peter shrugged. The boy knelt down to help shove what he could back into the trunk, and when he had crouched over, Peter could see another first year standing a little way away. He watched the two boys manhandle the robes and then pulled out his wand, but didn’t seem like he knew what he wanted to do with it, because he just started to play with it, twirling it in his fingers.

When they had collected everything off the floor, the two boys stared at the trunk while the other boy continued to stare at them. “Maybe if we both pick it up everything will stay inside. I’m James, by the way.”

“I’m Peter,” Peter said and smiled gratefully at the other boy. “Thank you.” They both crouched down to pick up the trunk when the other boy stepped forward.

“Wait,” the other first year said, “here.” He waved his wand at the trunk and the latch repaired itself.

“Whoa,” James exclaimed, “you can do wordless magic? That’s amazing!”

The other boy gave a half-smile, only one corner of his mouth twitched up, and he shrugged. “Only for a few spells, and only really basic ones.”

“Wow,” was all Peter could think to say before belatedly responding with a soft, “thanks.”

The boy shrugged again, dismissing Peter’s thanks, and turned to leave.

“So I’m James and this here is Peter,” James said, still smiling at the boy. He waited expectantly, and for a brief moment, Peter admired this young boy more than he had anybody else, because it seemed that in a short time, this boy had already tried to make two new friends, something Peter could never truly do by himself.

“Sirius,” the boy said and offered his hand, formally as if they were agreeing on a business deal, he seemed to catch himself and moved to pull his hand away, but James was quicker.

“Nice to meet you,” James said, shaking Sirius’ hand, his smile still on his face. “How about we all find a compartment?”

The three walked off, Peter in the back, pulling his trunk along behind him, with James and Sirius’ heads swiveling from side to side as they glanced into compartments to see if there was enough space for all three of them. When they were nearing the back of the train, Peter’s arms were getting sore, but he didn’t want to bother the other boys with it. “Where are your trunks?”

Sirius shrugged. “My parents dealt with it.”

“Mine too,” James said. “Do you need help?” Peter shook his head just as Sirius was opening a door to a compartment.

“Hi,” Sirius smiled, more brilliantly this time, but it also seemed like one of the smiles Peter had gotten from his bullies before. “Is anyone else sitting here?” Peter glanced in and saw another first year who had shoved his own trunk on one of the racks above the seats and forced himself as much in the corner as he could.

“No,” he said.

“I’m James,” James said when Sirius had sat down across from the boy, evidently not about to introduce himself. “That’s Sirius, and this is Peter.” James sat down next to Sirius after helping Peter push his trunk up next to the other boys’.

“Remus,” the boy said after Peter had sat down next to him. He was pale, and possibly even skinnier than Peter was, and he seemed to have a lot of scratches on his hands.

“Do you have a cat?” Peter asked and gestured to Remus’ hands. Remus crossed his arms, covering his hands and shook his head. “Oh.”

There was a long silence before James decided to fill it, “My parents say that I can get an owl next year if I do well on my exams, but I’m trying to convince them to let me get one for Christmas.”

“I don’t think I’d want an owl,” Sirius said. “It’s too practical, and my parents will wonder why I don’t write to them more often.” James and Sirius started talking about the pets allowed at Hogwarts, and Peter spoke up when he could, while Remus seemed to enjoy just listening in on the conversation. After a while, Sirius’ closed off demeanor dissipated, and he talked a lot more animatedly with James, even went so far as to start pulling Remus into the conversation, asking him questions.

“Have you had any pets before?”

“I think I did when I was really little,” Remus said. “I think I accidentally killed it. You ask a lot of questions.”

“I actually don’t,” Sirius said, looking surprised with himself. “I usually would get into trouble for asking too many questions.”

“My parents never trusted me to take care of my own pet,” Peter said, which encouraged Sirius and James to start talking about one of the classes for older kids, care of magical creatures.

By the time the train came to a stop, all four boys had relaxed a lot more, James didn’t have to force conversation anymore, Sirius relaxed a lot more and smiled for real, Remus willingly joined in the conversation, and it was the most fun Peter had had in a long time.


	3. The Sorting

Sirius Black

 

Sirius wasn’t expecting to make friends on the Hogwarts Express, in fact, he wasn’t expecting to make friends at all. He was sure he was going to be put into Slytherin, and he hates everything about it. He might be a little bias, but he had in a way, accepted his fate.

James Potter was a whole different kind of person than what Sirius was used to, granted he was used to mostly his mother, who deemed that jinxes were the proper way of reprimanding him.

“You will make this family proud and you will make Slytherin proud,” Walburga Black said as she forcefully straightened Sirius’ tie.

“I don’t want to be in Slytherin,” Sirius said as he loosened the tie a little.

“Yes, you do,” Walburga said as she tightened the tie again. “The Black family belongs in Slytherin.”

The sight of Hogwarts castle and the three boys he had befriended on the train distracted Sirius from his impending green-filled fate, but walking into the Great Hall reminded him of what was going to happen. And of course, he was one of the first names called.

“Black, Sirius,” Professor McGonagall called from the front of the Great Hall, and waited expectantly for Sirius to walk up to her. He wanted to take his time to get to the stool, but he was also too nervous to take too long. The Great Hall disappeared as the Sorting Hat was placed on his head, and Sirius gripped the stool beneath him. For a moment, Sirius felt and saw nothing but the heavy feeling of the too-large hat on his head.

“Another Black, I see,” the Hat said loudly, and then in Sirius’s head, “Slytherin is the most obvious choice, and yet it is very much not so.” Sirius sat up a little straighter, but didn’t dare to hope. “Yes, you would do very well in Slytherin. Ravenclaw would also nurture your desires, you would learn so much in that house.” Sirius was minutely shaking his head, and he found it harder to breathe.

“I’ll go to Ravenclaw,” Sirius said, daring to hope.

“Your ancestor was a great Headmaster,” the Hat continued, “he was Slytherin.”

“I’m not him,” Sirius whispered. “I’m not any of them.” Sirius wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting on the stool, but it seemed like forever, and he was suddenly very glad he couldn’t see the rest of his classmates.

“Every single Black that has passed through those doors has been in Slytherin.”

“I know,” Sirius said. “I’m not any of them. I make my own decisions.”

“Strong independence,” the hat continued, “and a deep loyalty to those who deserve it.”

“So Hufflepuff,” Sirius whispered, “Hufflepuffs are loyal, I’ll go to Hufflepuff.”

“Also a trait of Slytherin.”

“I can’t go to Slytherin,” Sirius begged. “Please, I can’t.”

“You think it’s expected of you.”

“I know it is,” Sirius resigned.

“Well, then it’s very clear to me where you should be, GRYFFINDOR!” The Hat called out the last word to the whole Hall and Sirius smiled, hearing cheers from the table on the far left. The hat was lifted off his head and Sirius glanced at Professor McGonagall, who Sirius could swear was smiling slightly.

“The first sorted into our house is very nearly a hatstall, welcome!” The ghost that was sitting at the table said, and all Sirius could do in response was smile. He looked up to watch the other students being placed. The next one to Slytherin, have fun there, Sirius thought. Another to Slytherin, then Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw, and it continued until one of the boys Sirius had sat with on the train cautiously made his way forward. It was only a few seconds after the hat had touched his head that it yelled out “GRYFFINDOR” and Remus Lupin made his way down to Gryffindor table. Sirius shifted over on the bench to made room for Remus next to him.

“Hello again,” Remus smiled slightly at Sirius.

“Guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other,” Sirius said.

“I guess so,” Remus said a smiled a little more. Sirius stared at the other boy as more students were placed, several girls into their own house, and a boy named Jacob Petrell. Remus seemed to have difficulty staying focused on the other students, and his head kept dipping down, and then jolting up, as if he were struggling to stay awake.

“Pettigrew, Peter,” McGonagall called out, and a boy nervously made his way forward. Sirius nudged Remus.”

“He was in the same compartment as us,” Sirius said, and Remus nodded. The room was quiet as it seemed like nothing was happening as the hat was placed on Peter’s head. “Some older kids broke his trunk on the train.”

Remus frowned. “It wasn’t broken.”

“I fixed it,” Sirius said, trying to brush off the comment, “where do you think he’ll be placed?”

“We’ll see soon,” Remus replied, “you fixed it with magic?” Sirius nodded, now not taking his eyes off of the hat on Peter’s head. “You know spells?”

“Basics,” Sirius said. “Only basics.”

“I don’t know anything,” Remus said, “I was afraid I wouldn’t even get a wand.”

Sirius smiled, grateful that Remus pulled the subject away from him. “You’re a wizard aren’t you? Of course you’d get a wand.”

“I just wasn’t always so sure.”

“Did you think you were a squib?” Sirius continued the conversation, Peter seemed to be deliberating with the hat.

“No.” Remus said, and was now staring intently at the hat as well.

“Oh,” Sirius said, and even though he felt like he shouldn’t, he pushed, “why?”

Remus just shrugged, and Sirius didn’t continue to ask. He was grateful that Remus hadn’t continued asking about why he knows some spells already, he wouldn’t push Remus about thinking he wouldn’t get a wand.

After what felt like forever, the hat called out “GRYFFINDOR” and Peter bounded over to their table, sitting across from Sirius and Remus. The ghost that had welcomed Sirius welcomed Peter as well, but quickly turned back to McGonagall as she called out “Potter, James.”

“It’ll be funny if he gets into Gryffindor as well,” Remus mused.

“He struck me a bit as a Hufflepuff,” Sirius said.

“I don’t know,” Peter whispered, “he stood up to the older kids.”

“I guess,” Sirius shrugged.

They didn’t wait long for James to be seated next to Peter and across from Remus. They were all clapping until James sat down and another name was called up to be sorted. When the last child had been sorted, a Hufflepuff, Dumbledore stood up and waited, a short time, for silence.

“Welcome new students,” Dumbledore smiled at each of the houses, “and welcome back to the old. As I’m sure you’ve all worked up quite an appetite, for now all I have to say is, enjoy!”

Some of the new students gasped as food appeared on the plates in front of them, while the older student all immediately started piling their own plates. Sirius sat and stared at the food while the boys he had recently met pulled at picked at what they wanted to eat. He looked up at the table where all the teachers were, piles of food at their own table, and then at each of the other houses.

“We can take as much or as little as we want?” Sirius asked without meaning to. James looked up at him, puzzled. “I mean,” Sirius started, but wasn’t sure what he meant to say.

“Here,” James said as he piled some chicken and potatoes on Sirius’ plate, “try this.” Sirius continued to stare at the food and wrung his hands, he suddenly realized that he hadn’t washed his hands before coming in. He couldn’t remember the last time he could just sit down and eat dinner without something happening, a fight, or ultimatum of some sort. Remus nudged a fork towards him and Sirius glanced up at him before looking at the table with teachers again. Professor McGonagall was staring at him, and Sirius felt the urge to look away quickly, but continued to stare. He thought she had nodded minutely before turning to her own dinner. Sirius picked up the fork that Remus nudged towards him and smiled before eating his chicken.

The sounds of people eating were soon replaced with people talking and once again Dumbledore stood up and waited for the room to get quiet. “I hope you are all now well fed and watered and ready to begin a new school year. I have been reminded to tell you all that as always, the Forbidden Forest is off limits and any student found in there will be severely punished.” He let that information sink in, and continued, introducing the new defense against the dark arts teacher, Sirius found himself looking up at the enchanted ceiling, and snapped back into what Dumbledore was saying when Remus nudged him. “There is something else new to our beautiful grounds this year. The school has acquired a lovely whomping willow, and to all those who do not wish to be critically injured would do well to give it a wide berth. And so, after a good evening, I wish you all a good night.”

Conversations picked up again and students began to shuffle out of the great hall and towards their respective dormitories. “Gryffindor first years! First years with me, I’ll show you the way to the dormitory. First years follow me,” a voice called out and Sirius moved to follow it, but waited behind because Remus was still sitting.

“Hey,” Sirius said, getting his attention, “we’re supposed to go this way.” Remus nodded and stood up slowly.

“Mr. Lupin,” Professor McGonagall made her way towards the boys, weaving through students, “a word if you please.”

“Only been here a couple of hours and you’re already in trouble?” Sirius smirked, and Remus smiled back at him.

“You as well, Mr. Black,” McGonagall said.

“What did I do?” Sirius exclaimed.

“We’ll see you up there,” James called out, having waited for the other two boys. Peter was standing behind him, looking back and forth between the boys and McGonagall when James pulled him away.

Remus and Sirius followed Professor McGonagall in silence, Sirius glanced over at Remus every once in a while, but Remus seemed to constantly stare straight ahead. When they had reached their destination, Professor McGonagall turned to look between the two boys. “Mr. Black, if you will wait outside for a moment please. Mr. Lupin, follow me if you will.” The two of them entered Professor McGonagall’s office and Sirius waited outside the door, partially inclined to try and listen in. By the time that he had decided to try to figure out what was going on, the door had opened again and Remus walked out looking even more tired than he did before they had eaten.

“You can go in now,” Remus said and nodded towards the room. Sirius walked past him and the door shut behind him.

“Please take a seat,” Professor McGonagall said from behind her desk.

“Am I in trouble?” Sirius asked before he could stop himself, and then quickly mumbled “Sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for, Mr. Black?” Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again quickly. “I recall I asked you to sit.” He quickly took a seat and stared up Professor McGonagall. “Your cousins did not seem too pleased to see that you were placed in my house and not theirs.”

Sirius had completely forgotten that Andromeda and Narcissa were going to be at Hogwarts, he was glad that Bellatrix had already left though. There was silence between the two of them, and Sirius didn’t know how to break it, or even if he could. And he found his attention being brought to different things around the office. It had a warm and welcoming feel to it, there was a large fireplace behind the large desk that Professor McGonagall sat behind, and a small writing desk by a window that looked like it would have a nice view of the grounds when it was day. The stone walls seemed to contain many memories and a certain kind of comfort to them, it was the kind of room that Sirius could not remember ever being in, one where he felt not only allowed, but encouraged to look around. There were books lining the walls and artefacts that he could not even begin to understand what they were for.

“Mr. Black?” Professor McGonagall asked, getting his attention back.

“Sorry,” Sirius mumbled again.

“Do not apologize to me, or anyone, unless they truly deserve it,” Professor McGonagall said. Sirius just stared blankly at her. “That goes for everyone in your life. I’ve been teaching long enough to know what kind of student you are.”

“We haven’t even had one day of class yet!” Sirius exclaimed, and he thought he saw a small smile on McGonagall’s face, but he figured he must have imagined it.

“No,” she agreed. “That is not why I asked you here. I asked you here because at meal times, students are expected to eat, unless you feel unwell, in which case, I will gladly show you where the hospital wing is.” Sirius nodded. “Is there anything you would like to tell me?”

Sirius thought for a moment, wondering why Professor McGonagall was talking to him, why they were having this conversation. He shook his head.

“In which case, I will show you and Mr. Lupin the way to Gryffindor tower.” She stood up and walked to the door without looking back, expecting Sirius to follow. “I take the wellbeing of my students very seriously, do you understand?” Sirius nodded, even though he wasn’t so sure that he did.

Remus was leaning against the wall opposite the door to Professor McGonagall’s office, he looked up when the two exited the room and McGonagall walked at a brisk pace down the corridor, the boys following her, once again in silence. When they had made it outside the portrait of a fat lady, Sirius looked around, he knew that Slytherin common room was in the dungeons, but they must be far away from there, about as far away as they could possibly get, Sirius thought, and smiled to himself. He looked around, expecting to see another corridor, but there was just this portrait.

“You need to remember your password,” Professor McGonagall was saying, “Gillyweed.” And the portrait of the fat lady swung open. “Your dormitories are to the left and at the top of the staircase, goodnight.” And as Remus pulled himself through the opening behind the fat lady, Professor McGonagall turned and walked away.

“That was weird,” Sirius said, Remus didn’t respond, so he continued. “What did she want to talk to you about?”

“Oh uh,” Remus looked around the common room, avoiding Sirius’ look, “nothing much. I’m not actually sure.”

Sirius squinted at Remus, as if trying to see him more clearly in the darkening common room would make what he said any clearer. “I guess I’m not too sure what she wanted to talk about either,” Sirius shrugged. He thought back to how she had mentioned his cousins. He didn’t even think of them when he was being sorted, but he was sure that they were expecting him to be sitting at their table and eating with them.

“Strange,” Remus said and gestured towards the stairs that McGonagall had mentioned. They made their way up the stairs, and now that the day was over, Sirius suddenly felt energized.

“Hey, I wonder what lessons are going to be like,” Sirius asked, and Remus perked up a little at the mention of lessons.

“I’m really looking forward to them,” Remus said, “I’ve always liked learning.”

“You’re not some kind of nerd are you?” Sirius asked, but smiled at Remus, “I don’t think I can be friends with a nerd.”

“I’ve just always liked learning,” Remus said, “and I’m not the one who already knows some magic.”

Sirius opened his mouth to mumble another “sorry,” but stopped himself, he just smiled, and was glad to see Remus return the smile. “I guess you’re right. Are you sure you aren’t a Ravenclaw, I hear they’re supposed to be nerds.”

“No,” Remus mused as he opened the door to their dormitory, “I’m quite sure I’m Gryffindor.”

“Hey,” James called from his bed, already in his pajamas. “Not even one day in and you two are already in trouble?”

“No we—” Remus started.

“Yup, loads,” Sirius said, smirking.

“I guess I’m going to need to work to catch up,” James said. “Peter wanted to wait up for you guys too, but I think he fell asleep, so did the other boys, Jacob and Todd.”

Sirius looked around at the sleeping forms and then walked to the two vacant beds, trying to figure out which was his. Remus walked up to one of the trunks and nudged it with his foot, the lettering on the side said in bold letters “ **S. O. BLACK**.”

“I guess this one’s yours,” Remus said and moved to the bed next to it. Sirius situated himself between James and Remus, looked over to the lump that was Peter and smiled.

“Do you guys know what classes we have tomorrow?” Sirius asked.

“I just hope it’s not transfiguration,” James said. “McGonagall looks a little scary.”

“She’s not so bad,” Sirius said. And Remus nodded, agreeing.


End file.
